Method of and device for showing cinematographic pictures



Mmch 31, 1931. Q1 M ssT 1,798,335

METHOD CF AND DEVICE FOR SHOWING CINEMATOGRAPHIC PICTURES Filed April 16'. 1928 m @Wsssfer wwavrag Patented Mar. 31, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OSKAR MESSTER, OF BERLIN, GERMANY Application filed April 16, 1928, Serial No.

This invention relates to the showing of cinematographic pictures, and its object is on the one side to warrant a proper accommodation of the speed of the successive pictures with respect to the scene they show, that is to say, to prevent a too quick, as well as a too slow succession of the pictures during the entire showing, and on the other side to finish the showing within the time predetermined for the respective play or performance.

This is attained in a particularly simple manner, viz. merely by regulating the running of the cinematographic apparatus in 16 continual correspondence with the running of the seconds-hand of a clock. This can be effected, for instance, by turning a hand by the driving gear of the cinematographic apparatus, the speed of this latter being then 20 regulatedaccording to the speed of that hand in such a manner that this hand and said seconds-hand (which may indicate tenths of seconds) always lie one over the other. If .the hand driven by the cinemato raphic apparatus is leading, the speed of t iis apparatus must be retarded, whereas when the seconds-hand is leading the speed of said apparatus must be accelerated, in both cases in a degree that the two hands again cover one the other.

The invention is illustrated diagrammatically and by way of example on the accompanying drawing on which Figure 1 is a front view of a device for practicing the method in question; Figure 2 is a side-view of this device, partly in section; Figure -1a shows some details of Fig. 1; Figures 3 and 4 are diagrammatic illustrations elucidating the manner of operation of the device; Figure 5 is a side-view of some parts pertaining to a modification; Figures 6 and 7 are also diagrammatic views pertaining to this modification; Figure 8 is a diagrammatic View showing the device connected with the drivin%gear of a motion picture machine.

eferring toFigs. 1 and 2, a denotes a shaft which is connected to'the driving shaft of the cinematographic apparatus B by a flexible shaft (1' or the like so that the shaft a rotates at the same speed as the shaft of 270,484, and in Germany December 7, 1927.

along with it, and from said collar projects an arm 9, which is formed similar to a U, and the front part of which forms a hand k. Near said collar the arm 9 is provided with a pin 9 co-operating with a star-wheel i in a manner hereinafter fully described. The wheel 71 is carried by an arm 2" affixed to the shaft f. The short shaft of the star-wheel z' is supported in the end of the arm z" and carries on the other side of this arm a pinion jmeshing with a large cog-wheel is supported loosely upon the axle f. A U-shaped arm is is attached to the rim of the wheel 70 and the free end of this arm forms a hand m intended to co-operate with the hand 71. in the manner already indicated in the introductory part of this specification.

At the free end of the shaft f is a holder n for a pocket watch A of the type known as stop watch. The ends of the hands h and m lie just in front of the ends of the hands of said watch, and the arrangement is such that the hand h co-operates with the quickly rotating seconds-hand h (Figs. 3 and 4) of the watch'and the hand m co-operates with the slowly rotating minute-hand m (Figs. 3 and 4) of the same. As the watch A is a stop-watch, as already mentioned, it is possible to stop the seconds-hand by depressing the knob 0 of the watch, and to restart it by another pressure, and so on, as known. It is suited to the purpose to make use of a watch, the seconds-hand of which makes one complete revolution in 30 seconds, as is the case with the watch to which the Figs. 3 and 4 pertain, but it is also possible to employ a stop-watch in which the seconds-hand performs one complete revolution in 20 seconds 1, and the hand h is so adjusted as to cover the hand m. Now the hand i isreleasedby a pressure upon the knob 0 and commences, theretorefloiiiove. In thatinement in which the tip ofthe hand h arrives at the tip of the hand It (oi a little earlier because of the slightretardation causedloy the starting of the watch), the motdi or the cinematographic apparatus is switched on, in consequence wheretiif the shaft is rotated. The cinematographic apparatusruns as long with the proper speed as the hands It and h, or their tips respectively, lie opposite one another,

that is to say,t h'e speed of the apparatus CO? the watch. This responds to the speed, of

j is shdwn iii Fig. 3. Iflhowever, the hand it is leading with respet t'o hand it, p as in Fig. d, the cinematographic" ap'p'sua s must be retardeduntil the twoh'a'nds in ques tion, or their tips respectively, lie again opposite onev anothenf If, however, the hand hf should be, leading, the running of the cinematographic apparatus must be accelerated. v

-It mayecai the ser ice pr performance is disturbed, torliiist-aiice by the hire tearing, and it is, therefdre, necessary to make provinces permitting the operator to nialre up tor thelosttinie. For this purpose the hand is grandee which. is moved in steps by means of the'p'in 1 the star-wheel i, and the gearing is, in other words, the hand on is turned for a certain angle when the hand it performs o e complete revolution, that angle being, or course, in a certain ratio to the subdivision of the seconds-part of the watch dial. In the example shown in 1 1-, that part is subdivided into seconds, andthe hand It makes, therefore, one coniplte revolution in 30 seconds When the hand b has made, two revelations, which together correspond to one minute, also the hand m will have been turned as much as corresponds to one minute. Supposing, now, an interruption ofItlie service or performance should occur, the three hands of the watch (including the hour-hand) will proceed in their course, whereas the hands h and m stop. Now the hand m is leading with re'sp'ect to the hand a, andthe ldifierenc'e betweenthese hands permit-s the operator to se'e distinctly how much he must accelerate theru'ni n ot the cinematographic apparatus in o r to make up forum lost time, the acceleration being efi'ected until the hand, m lies again opposite the hand on, from which point oi? time the speed of the cinematographic apparatus is so diminished that the tip of the hand we remains opposite the tip of the hand m. When then also the tip of the hand h has arrived opposite the tip of t e hand h the apparatus runs again with normal speed, that is to say, the succession of the pictures proceeds normally in accordancelwith the time predetermined for the entire performancc;

In order to place the operator in the position to predetermine any desired point of time as commencement of the performance, the hands it and m can be turned manually at will; Concerning the hand h it has already been mentioned, that the collartglto which the arm g (the end 'ofwhich forms the hand it) is afiixed is turned by friction by means of the worm-wheel 6; This does not prevent the collar from beingturned maria all? at liberty upon the axle f withoutim;

pairing its rotation by said'worm wheel the intended manner. The same is'true "of the cog-wheel wh ch can be turned manually at liberty, provided, the pin 9 he not" between two teeth of the located at that time star wheel 2'. I j a In the modification shown in Figs. 5 7 the watch A has merely a seconds-hand hgand in front ofthis watch is'arranged' a rotary glass dish p having a hand h nerely marked upon it, vfor instance inthe form of a short The glass disc h is. fitted radial black line. in a. ring 6 provided on its circumference with worm-teethwhich mesh with aiw'orni (Z whereby the disk p can be rotated.

by a hearing 1"] The worm d is connected with the driving gear of the cinematographic apparatus by an intermediate gearing, pref-f withrefer} 1 and 2 (6,2), 6 b TWheI'I ing the cinematographic apparatus runs to'o quickly and must, therefore, be retarded.

In order to be in: the position to m ke up for lost time also with this modification, there is provided, besides the watch A, another watch A arranged, in the example shown, below the watch A. This'watch A mayhave a wheel-work of its own or may' lee-driven by a wheel-worl'i commonto both watches,"and its hands are the usual ones, vi-z. a minutehand and an hour-hand. A rotamr hss; disk like. 9 is provided also in front of the watch AT, and is also rotated by such means as'proiiided itor the glass-disk of the watch A. m on the watchlA denotes the seconds;

hand of the'same, and m denotes the hand like mark upon the adjacent glass-disk not shown). Also this disk is turned posit'i, ety

modification possibletoadjust the speed or It is, secured. in its centre to a short axle supported that apparatus according to which of the hands is leading.

The method dealt with in the preceding paragraphs can be used also in connection with several cinematographic apparatus to be actuated all at a time and in correspondence with acoustic reproductions (music, singing, lecture or the like explaining the images) by telephone or radio. The running of the individual cinematographic apparatus, as well as the running of the cinematographic apparatus put up in the transmitting room, or of an acoustic reproduction apparatus, for instance for a phonogram written upon a film, is then regulated with the aid of suitably running watches which have been adjusted prior to the commencement of the performance in correspondence with the watch or clock pertaining to the cinematographic apparatus put up in the transmitting room.

I claim:

A device for regulating the showing of cinematographic pictures, comprising, in combination with the cinematographic apparatus, a shaft rotated by the driving gear of the same, transmission wheels driven by said shaft, a worm wheel driven by said wheels, an axle upon which said worm wheel is loosely rotatable, a watch attached to the free end of said axle and having a minute hand and a seconds-hand, a collar also supported upon said shaft and turned by the worm-wheel, an arm affixed to said collar and forming at its free end a hand adapted to co-operate with the seconds-hand of said Watch, a cog-wheel also supported on the said axle, an arm secured to this wheel and forming at its free end a hand adapted to cooperate with the minute hand of the said watch, and means for turning said latter wheel in steps, every step taking place at a complete revolution of the said collar with its arm, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

OSKAR MESSTER. 

